Hammering helped keeper, says Keane

The Scotland keeper was axed by Sunderland boss Keane following that Goodison massacre and was in danger of being labelled a £9m flop following a stumbling start to his career south of the border.[>

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However, Everton will be confronted by a far more assured and confident figure when the former Hearts keeper lines up against them at the Stadium of Light tomorrow.[>

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Indeed, Yakubu and company will be coming up against a keeper who’s kept three successive clean sheets on Wearside. “He seems a different player to that day at Everton,” said the Black Cats chief. “He has come on leaps and bounds.[>

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“Watching him in training every day, I have no doubt at all that he will become a top keeper – one of the best in the world.”[>

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Keane claims the 7-1 Everton horror show will prove a decisive moment in Gordon’s career. He said: “Sometimes you have to go through pain to improve.[>

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“You have to lose to win – and we have all experienced that at this club this season.[>

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“No disrespect to Scottish football, but the shots he’s had to face from the likes of Ronaldo, which are dipping all over the place, are very different to what he’d had before, while at Everton, he must have had four or five one-on-ones.[>

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“However, just by watching him, you can tell he is going to be one of best both mentally and technique-wise.[>

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“Of course he will make mistakes, because he is still inexperienced, but our goalkeeping coach Raymond van der Gouw tells me he wouldn’t swap him for anyone.”[>

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With Sunderland just two points above the drop zone, Keane believes beating David Moyes’ high-flying side could prove crucial.[>

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He added: “What has given us a chance is beating those teams around us, but I think, sooner or later, we will have to beat a top-six team.[>